


Is it Still Pretend?

by Altman



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Because goddamn am i a sucker for fake dating, F/M, Swearing, shameless self-indulgent fluff, someone help these two idiots realize they like each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-03 20:41:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10974954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altman/pseuds/Altman
Summary: To help protect her friend Eiko from a sleazy Host named Tsukasa, Niijima Makoto asked the leader of the Phantom Thieves, Shinri Toukai, to pretend to be her boyfriend.Soon, however, their 'act' will no longer be necessary and the two struggle with feelings that might not be so fake...





	1. Fruitless Investigation

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I realize that I’m not using the ‘canon’ name for Joker. However, after putting 150+ hours into Persona 5 referring to him as Shinri Toukai, my brain defaults to that.  
> Requiem Company is the name I gave to the Thieves.  
> Anyway, this is just something I wanted to write because I had some free time, and none of my other WIPs were cooperating.

It was a grey, overcast, Saturday afternoon in Shinjuku, and rain had just started to fall. Two Shujin High students (out of uniform, of course), ducked under an awning, as the taller one fumbled with an umbrella, seemingly unable get it open.

“Damn! Morgana, were you messing with this thing again?” Shinri Toukai, also known as Joker, demanded of his bag rather sharply. A black cat’s head popped out, and yowled as if replying, “Nope! Not this time, I promise!”

The brown-haired girl beside him held out a hand, a small smile playing across her lips, “Give it here, I think I know what’s wrong.”

He nodded, passing over. After fiddling with the unruly umbrella for a moment, it opened, and she handed it back.

“Thanks. Reliable as usual, Miss President.”

“Doesn’t really feel like I am at the moment… I mean, we still haven’t found any leads.” Makoto sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, “You’d think it would be pretty easy to turn up dirt on someone like Tsukasa.”

“We just need to keep looking. We’ll find something soon, I’m sure of it.”

Hearing the certainty in his voice, she nodded despite her doubts. He always had that effect on her, on all of the Phantom Thieves, really. Whenever they needed someone to lean on, metaphorically, and sometimes literally, Toukai was there.

“But I don’t think we’re going to have any luck today. There’s no point in making ourselves miserable in this rain,” He continued, shifting the umbrella to his left hand so it could cover both of them, “so, if it’s OK with you, I propose we call it quits for today, and come back tomorrow morning.”

As much as she would have liked to keep searching, she knew that he had a point. She couldn’t afford to get sick, not with Eiko’s future on the line. Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to let go of her anxiety, and focus on the positives.

_‘With Okumura’s Treasure stolen, Requiem Company doesn’t have any pressing deadlines. We’ll have…’_ Her train of thought paused, suddenly jumping tracks. ‘ _When did ‘Toukai and I’ automatically become ‘We’? How long have I been thinking that way?’_

_‘Of course, it’s… just because we’re pretending to be a couple. I mean, I’m still pretending, I think.’_

Was it still fake? The stolen glances that had become a reflex rather than a conscious decision, the way her fingers sought out his even when no one was around, and the way her heart sped up whenever she noticed the faint scent of coffee and curry, _his_ scent, that lingered on her clothes after their ‘dates’ with Eiko and Tsukasa…

“Makoto? You alright?” Toukai asked, the concerned tone of his voice snapping her out of her reverie, “If you want to keep looking, that’s fine too.”

“No, no, it’s… I’m fine. Fine to stop for today, I mean. Not that I don’t…”

‘ _Not that I don’t want to spend more time with you’_ , the words stuck in her throat, held there by the fear that he didn’t feel the same.

“Hey, don’t worry. We’ll get something to nail that bastard host with soon, I promise.” He said, reaching out to take her hand after a moment’s hesitation, “C’mon, let’s get going.”

Stepping closer, (‘ _just for the umbrella,’_ she told herself) Makoto looped her arm around his, only briefly untangling their fingers. She half-expected him to try and pull away, but instead he smiled and relaxed. Almost imperceptibly, the Joker fell away, and the Delinquent retreated too, leaving just Toukai.

He sighed as they made their way to the station, “Y’know, if you keep this up, someone might get the wrong idea about us…”

“Well, then that’s on them. Besides, I don’t think… I-I’d…” Her heart was pounding so loud that she was sure everyone could hear it, but before she could finish her sentence, they were suddenly confronted by a mass of irritated people.

 

“What do you mean-”

“I’m going to be late!”                         

“Why is the station closed?”

                     “An accident? Was it the-”

“Ugh! How annoying!”

Suddenly, the station’s speakers crackled to life, a weary voice that probably belonged to one of the station attendants could be heard, “Attention! Due to a possible Mental Shutdown incident, exits at Shibuya station are currently closed. Service through Shibuya will continue as close to normal as possible. I repeat, service through Shibuya will continue.”

The cries of the crowd intensified, and a heavy surge of anxiety begin to pulse in Makoto’s chest, threatening to close off her throat if left unchecked. ‘ _I have to get home, in case Sae comes back. If she finds our apartment empty, she’ll go ballistic, she’ll catch on to what I’ve been doing, she’ll…’_

Her worry must have shown on her face, because she felt her boyfriend (‘ _Fake boyfriend! F-A-K-E, fake!’_ a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her) squeeze her hand as if to reassure her.

“Well, I guess we should say goodnight here, then. There’s no way I’m getting home unless I walk…” She hated the slight tremor in her voice, but the last thing she wanted to do ( _was leave him_ ) was trudge home in this weather, “I-I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Already planning out the safest route home, she was about to pull away when Toukai spoke up, his voice low, “You could just stay with me…”

Her eyes went wide at the words, and she knew her face was probably beet-red. At her reaction, he shook his head frantically, blushing, “N-no, not… I just… Stay at my place, that’s all.”

* * *

_‘Great. Good fucking job, brain.’_ Toukai couldn’t believe he’d screwed up the phrasing so badly. But rather than earn him a swift rejection, his words seemed to have had a positive effect on Makoto. She was practically doubled over with laughter, her smile brighter than any he had seen from her in the past few weeks.

“I-I’m sorry, you just,” her words trailed off into more laughter.

“I know you didn’t mean it like that. You aren’t Ryuji, after all.” She gasped in-between giggles before getting them mostly under control, “You j-just looked so cute when you realized what you said.”

His small smile stretched into a grin at the compliment, “Well, coming from someone as cute as you, that’s high praise.”

Her blush intensified, and she moved closer to him once more. Trying to calm the staccato rhythm of his heart, he held back from brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

“Does your, um,” She paused, fidgeting nervously for a moment, “does that offer still stand? I-I suddenly really, really don’t want to go home.”

“I mean, you did laugh at me…” He replied with an overly serious expression that only lasted a moment, breaking into a smile, “Of course it does.”


	2. Caught in the Rain

 

Having made it to Yongen-Jaya station without any further problems, Toukai was looking forward to finally getting home to LeBlanc. The search for dirt on Tsukasa had taken more out of him than he had anticipated.

_‘Guess I’m not fully recovered from the Heist after all.’_ He mused to himself, as the two of them approached the Café. ‘ _A night-in is just what I need…’_

Never mind the fact that he wouldn’t be alone, because that certainly wasn’t the reason he was feeling happy. Hanging out with Makoto wasn’t all that different from spending time with the other Thieves, right?

So what if he enjoyed acting like her boyfriend, seeing her smile, the way her hand fit into his own? So what if his heart leap when she laughed, or when crinkled her nose at Ryuji’s bad jokes, or at that little frown of concentration she got whenever they studied, or…

“H-hey, Makoto, can I ask you somethi-”

_\--Snap!--_

Toukai flinched as the umbrella closed suddenly, practically jumping out of his hand. Within moments, the two teens were fairly soaked, and still a fair distance from their destination. Makoto took a few steps forward with a grin, pausing only long enough to call back over her shoulder, “Race you! Last one there makes dinner!”

At that, they both broke into a run with their bags held over their heads, laughter echoing down the backstreets.

* * *

“Haha, yes! Looks like you’ll be making me curry!” Makoto crowed triumphantly, having reached the door first. However, unlike a normal Saturday, the café was closed.

Shouldering the door to LeBlanc open and returning the key to his pocket, Toukai replied with a sniff, “Well, I would’ve won, if Mona hadn’t started trying to kill me.”

“If I had been trying to kill you, you’d be dead. Next time, don’t start throwing me around like that, or I’ll really do some damage!” The cat said sharply, leaping out as the bag was placed on the nearby table.

“I said I was sorry…”

“Boss? You here?” He called, looking around the decidedly empty dining space. There was a short note on the counter, hastily written.

_Hey, sorry about this, but I had to close up early today. Personal business._

_There’re a few ingredients in the fridge, but don’t go crazy or anything._

_I should be back at the usual time tomorrow, but if I’m not, don’t worry about opening the café._

_Stay out of trouble._

_Sojiro_

* * *

“Well, looks like we’re on our own tonight…” He sighed, slicking back the hair that the rain had plastered to his forehead, “I, uh, think I have some clothes you can borrow, if you’d like.”

Makoto paused, suddenly very aware of how wet her shirt was. Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded.

“I’d… really appreciate that, thanks.”

“Want to head to the baths before we change? It would give us a chance to dry off.”

“A-Alright. They’re just across the street, right?”

“Yeah, past the, um, laundromat.”

Her heart was hammering again, and as Toukai dashed upstairs to grab the clothes, she felt an odd heat in her stomach. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, the way it radiated through her, but it had caught her off-guard. Seized by the impulse to bury her face in her hands, Makoto slumped into the booth by the door. Hearing Morgana snicker, she muttered beneath her breath, “Shut up. I’ll tell Ann you like her if you don’t.”

She tried to keep her breathing even, chiding herself for getting this worked up over nothing.

_‘Calm down, Makoto. There’s no reason to be acting like some lovesick schoolgirl!’_ Aside from the fact that, at this point, she was pretty sure that’s exactly what she was… _‘_

_Toukai is your friend! That’s it, and once you save Eiko, this’ll all be over…’_

 


	3. Building Momentum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Sorry this chapter took a while...   
> I've been struggling w/exams but they're pretty much done at this point!

Upstairs, Toukai was wrestling with a similar train of thought, as he dug through the cardboard box of his things.

_‘I need to snap out of it. This is supposed to be fake, just a way to keep tabs on Eiko and that sleazy jackass.’_

But that didn’t account for everything else, the times they had gone on ‘dates’ for no real reason, the way her smile seemed to light up the room, the little gifts they got each other out of nowhere. That didn’t account for the fact that, somewhere down the line, he had found himself wanting to be with her, rather than just acting like he was.

Shaking his head, he grabbed his usual sleepwear, as well as a simple beige shirt and pair of grey sweats and descended the stairs.

* * *

 

“Thanks for suggesting that. It was really relaxing.” Makoto said brightly, as Toukai entered the café and closed his umbrella.

“I’m just glad the umbrellas held up.” He replied, holding their freshly laundered clothes in front of him.

Kawakami had been a little surprised when he had asked her to run something not covered in soot, grime, or dust through the wash, but she hadn’t wanted to pass up the five thousand yen. The presence of a skirt hadn’t raised any questions, as she had handled that kind of gear from him before. And though it had cost him a bit of time to collect the clean outfits, there was no denying that he felt much better after the trip to the baths.

All in all, things were shaping up to be a fairly enjoyable evening, partly due to the fact that Makoto managed to make those spare clothes of his look good (not that he was paying attention to that or anything). At the moment, having found one of the cat toys Sojiro had bought (“Only because there was a sale, OK?”), she was entertaining Morgana, giggling slightly as he batted the plush mouse back and forth.

The shirt hung loose on her shoulders, and it was quite a change from her usual style of ‘Composed, confident, and collected’. She seemed relaxed, at ease in a way he rarely saw, but this slightly-tired, smiling girl in front of him seemed somehow more real than the put-together Student Council President who had confronted them on the roof all those months ago.

 “So, I believe you owe me a curry dinner, yes?” She said, stretching her arms up over her head and surrendering the mouse to Mona’s waiting claws, “I did win the race, after all.”

His throat felt dry, his cheeks red, and suddenly he didn’t trust himself to speak, not without saying something he would probably wind up regretting.

After nodding awkwardly for a moment, he managed to choke out a response, mumbling his agreement.

“Well, then I’ll, um, go put my clothes with my bag, and let you get started…” Moving closer, she paused, biting her lip nervously, before reaching out to grab her things. Her hand brushed his own, but she made no attempt to break away from the incidental contact.

_‘There won’t be many more moments like this,’_ He realized, feeling a shock of certainty at the thought, but he couldn’t deny the truth, _‘so I’d better enjoy it while I can…’_

Something seemed different about her appearance, and it took him a moment to put his finger on what it was.

“I, uh, thought your hair would be longer, without your braid.”

She cradled the bundle of clothes to her chest, trying to hold back a small burst of laughter and a smile, “Actually, t-that ‘braid’, it’s a headband.”

“Wait, seriously?” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the revelation.

“Yes, it really is. Don’t worry, you aren’t the first to make that mistake, and I doubt you’ll be the last.”

“Well, you do wear it everywhere… This might the first time I’ve seen you without it. You look, uh, beau-… nice. Not that you don’t look good normally!”

Cocking her head to one side, Makoto raised an eyebrow, “For someone who can be so charming, you give the strangest compliments… but I appreciate it all the same.”

He grinned in response to her words, and ducked his head to try and hide his blush, “W-Well, I should get started on the food. It isn’t gonna cook itself, after all.”

Makoto snorted with amusement, finally turning away to head upstairs. Part of her brain was still buzzing at Toukai’s words, the fact that he had started to call her beautiful

_‘Yes, but he didn’t really. He must have recognized how inappropriate this whole situation is, and stopped before he said something he couldn’t take back’_ nagged a doubtful voice from the back her mind, causing her to frown as she reached the top of the stairs.

“But still… I-I wanted to hear it.” She said quietly, surprised by the feeling of certainty that accompanied the statement, “Even if it’s not ‘appropriate’, or ‘proper’, or… or even ‘real’…”

“I want this. Doesn’t that count for anything?”


End file.
